Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like. ~ Rita Pierson
As I mentioned in Teaching Philosophy: Then, my teaching philosophy is always changing. Here is my current philosophy, after having completed my 10-week practicum as well as my 3-week CFE in Haida Gwaii. I have kept many of the same headings/main ideas, but changed it slightly after my experiences.
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Classroom Community
In my classroom, I create a safe, respectful and caring learning environment. I believe a strong sense of community and belonging is necessary for my students to be able to learn and grow together and as individuals. I foster this classroom community through collaborative learning activities and positive peer-to-peer interactions. I often use Social Responsibility activities in my teaching. I believe in teaching from the heart and that students will thrive when they know they matter.
Curiosity
To me, the purpose of education is to instil in students the ability to learn and to think critically about the world. I help my students understand the process of learning as well as learning the content. I encourage and challenge my students to think critically about the world through projects and discussion. I believe educators should instil a sense of curiosity of learning in students.
Formative Assessment
As an educator, I believe assessment is key in helping my learners grow. Although summative evaluation is needed to track performance and to identify gaps in knowledge and understanding, I strongly emphasize formative assessment in my classroom on a daily basis. Through formative assessment, particularly reflections and self-evaluations, I see the most growth in my learners.
Differentiated Instruction
I recognize that my students learn in different ways and I use differentiated instruction to try to meet each of their learning needs. I offer choice whenever possible, whether for project based learning or an inquiry project. I see my students as individuals who have the capacity to reach their maximum potential.
Aboriginal Education
My classroom is located on ancient aboriginal territory and I believe it is important to honour and respect this. I incorporate aboriginal aspects and perspectives in my classroom. With my learners, we go beyond learning about aboriginal peoples in a strictly social studies context. Instead, I integrate aboriginal education in other areas of the curriculum, such as in art, language arts, and science.
French Language
As a French Immersion teacher, my goal is to teach French to my students in an authentic and fun way. I teach the French language through content, but I also emphasize precise language learning, such as grammatical and lexical skills. In my classroom, I incorporate French writing, reading, listening and speaking into activities. Through my passion for the French language, I inspire my students to take pride in their second language.
A TED Talk that has resonated with my philosophy is Rita Pierson’s “Every kid needs a champion” video. In the video, Pierson states: “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like”. She discusses the importance of relationships with students.
During my practicum, my SA told me on my very first day that you have to teach with your heart. She demonstrated that the relationships she had with each and every student and making them all feel important was her priority.
Throughout my practicum, I created strong relationships with all 18 of my students, which allowed them to feel comfortable and confident in their learning. I took the time to learn about all of my students’ interests, their families and what makes them special. In the middle of my practicum, my students had behaved in a non-respectful way and I had to give the consequences. However, they completely understood and came up to me even after to show me their new Pokemon cards or their snack. I believe this relationship with the students allows me to be a more effective and engaging teacher.
Before this photo was taken, students were seated on the carpet and we were talking about friend problems (which were frequent in my grade 3/4 class). I shared with my students problems I had had with my friends when I was their age and how we resolved them (in the hopes of modelling some problem solving). Even after the bell rang at the end of the day (note the backpack on one student’s back), they came up to me to share their stories. Little moments like these show the importance of the student-teacher relationship.
Skating field trip
Goodbye cards on my last day. I miss my students!